Not only visiting a shop you still mostly see Windows on the PCs, it took
me a lot of discussion and cost me about 200 bucks more than expected to
get a new PC from Dell (today) with Ubuntu preinstalled. First time, Dell
made troubles selling me a Windows-less PC, so for my experience here in
Austria things seem even to get worse.

But the positive point: Comparing to the words of Gandhi we are in the
phase where they fight you.

Best regards.
--
Martin Wildam
Am 06.06.2013 20:51 schrieb "northrup" <email address hidden>:

> This bug is not fixed.  Based on the outlined steps to repeat:
>
>     1. Visit a local PC store.
>     2. Attempt to buy a machine without any proprietary software.
>
> At least in the Reno, NV area, the results of the "steps to repeat"
> involve relatively-nonexistent availability of free-and-open-source
> purchasing options; nearly all PCs sold here are preinstalled with
> either Windows or (in the case of those originally manufactured by
> Apple, Inc.) Mac OS X.  Some PCs can be purchased without operating
> systems if from a small vendor, but in those cases it's reliant upon me
> having technical experience and making it clear that I am capable of
> installing software myself; larger vendors do not offer this ability.
> Perhaps this is different in other areas (if it is, further
> clarification - as well as real estate listings and job offerings to
> assist with me packing my bags and moving - would be appreciated).
>
> While PC manufacturers are beginning to make their Linux offerings more
> apparent (namely, Dell, in addition to Linux-only vendors like
> System76), this is far from the mainstream, and PC users without
> technical experience/capability will likely be stuck with a non-free
> operating system preinstalled.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1
>
> Title:
>   Microsoft has a majority market share
>
> Status in Club Distro:
>   Confirmed
> Status in Computer Science Ubuntu:
>   Confirmed
> Status in LibreOffice Productivity Suite:
>   New
> Status in dylan.NET.Reflection:
>   Invalid
> Status in dylan.NET:
>   Invalid
> Status in EasyPeasy Overview:
>   Invalid
> Status in Ichthux - Linux for Christians:
>   Invalid
> Status in JAK LINUX:
>   Invalid
> Status in LibreOffice:
>   In Progress
> Status in The Linux Kernel:
>   New
> Status in The Linux Mint Distribution:
>   In Progress
> Status in The Linux OS Project:
>   In Progress
> Status in Neobot:
>   New
> Status in Novabot:
>   New
> Status in The OpenOffice.org Suite:
>   In Progress
> Status in Tabuntu:
>   Invalid
> Status in A simple player to online TV streaming:
>   Invalid
> Status in Tv-Player:
>   Invalid
> Status in Ubuntu Malaysia LoCo Team Meta Project:
>   In Progress
> Status in Ubuntu:
>   Fix Released
> Status in Arch Linux:
>   Confirmed
> Status in Baltix GNU/Linux:
>   Invalid
> Status in “linux” package in Debian:
>   In Progress
> Status in Fluxbuntu: The Lightweight, Productive, Agile OS:
>   Confirmed
> Status in openSUSE:
>   In Progress
> Status in Tilix Linux:
>   New
>
> Bug description:
>   See Mark's closure comment here:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/1/comments/1834
>   ------
>
>   Microsoft has a majority market share in the new desktop PC
>   marketplace. This is a bug which Ubuntu and other projects are meant
>   to fix. As the philosophy of the Ubuntu Project states, "Our work is
>   driven by a belief that software should be free and accessible to
>   all."
>
>   "Ubuntu software is free. Always was, always will be. Free software
> gives everyone the freedom to use it however they want and share with
> whoever they like. This freedom has huge benefits. At one end of the
> spectrum it enables the Ubuntu community to grow and share its collective
> experience and expertise to continually improve all things Ubuntu. At the
> other, we are able to give access to essential software for those who
> couldn’t otherwise afford it – an advantage that’s keenly felt by
> individuals and organisations all over the world."
>        * http://www.ubuntu.com/project/about-ubuntu/our-philosophy
>
>   Non-free software leaves users at the mercy of the software owner and
>   concentrates control over the technology which powers our society into
>   the hands of a few. Additionally, proprietary software stifles
>   innovation, maintains artificial scarcities, and enables malicious
>   anti-features such as DRM, surveillance, and other monopolistic
>   practices.
>
>   This bug is widely evident in the PC industry.
>
>   Steps to repeat:
>
>       1. Visit a local PC store.
>       2. Attempt to buy a machine without any proprietary software.
>
>   What happens:
>
>   Almost always, a majority of PCs for sale have Microsoft Windows pre-
>   installed. In the rare cases that they come with a GNU/Linux operating
>   system or no operating system at all, the drivers and BIOS may be
>   proprietary.
>
>   What should happen:
>
>   A majority of the PCs for sale should include only free software.
>
>        * http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
>        * http://www.debian.org/social_contract#guidelines
>        * http://www.opensource.org/docs/osd
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/clubdistro/+bug/1/+subscriptions
>